"Proverbial" thoughts on leadership.

A Proverb

When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation.(2)

Some Thoughts

It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.

St. Francis of Assisi

Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.

Margaret Thatcher

Don’t bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself.

William Faulkner

To Ponder

The attitude for becoming an effective serving-leader includes three principles:

1) Being self-aware;

2) Having the ability to understand the traits of the team and adapt the communication and productivity approaches to best fit those styles; and,

3) Transforming one’s self first and then others in such a way that all are passionate about the work they are doing and for whom they are doing it.

There are many models of leadership style (Situational, Transactional, or Transformational to name only three) and each has a set of guidelines, or observations about ways to behave when one manages complexity or leads change. All good stuff. Should be followed. But the words and deeds, if not from a heart regenerated by our Creator Himself, will prove empty and worthless in God’s eyes. EVERYTHING we do must be to the glory of God or it will be, in the metaphor of Scripture, burned up. Only the “precious metals” of thoughts, words and actions dedicated to the Lord will survive.

The fundamental issue is not about what we do, it is about what we are becoming. Not to mix metaphors here, but these attitudinal traits are tricky things: without an anchor, our attitudes can be like ships on a stormy sea of emotion tossed this way and that. You must know why you were put on this earth and how your Creator wired you so that you can dedicate those talents and abilities to Him. You must learn about what drives the members of your team if you are going to serve them well so they can prosper and succeed. Repentance begins with you. If you want to help restore others, you must be restored.

The three principles are the strong chains fastened to the anchor holding a serving-leader attitude firm in the stormy seas of leadership. These principles will yield a sense of calm in the blustery ocean of emotions where we must securely be anchored so that we may be motivating, inspiring and leading others in a way that pleases God and brings joy to those we are leading.

Are you anchored in your Maker or in our culture’s myths about who you are and what others can become?

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Selection for my new book about developing a serving-leader attitude. Currently beginning editing cycle.

Is Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers a jerk for sitting during the playing of the national anthem? Or is he a leader for exercising his right of free speech and backing up his talk with a million-dollars in donations?